Selvage forming apparatus for looms

ABSTRACT

First, second and third thread guides, with respective first, second and third selvage threads extending therethrough, are successively arranged rearwardly of the reed, and means are provided for oscillating the first and second thread guides about a substantially vertical axis in timed relation to substantially vertical reciprocation of the third thread guide rearwardly thereof so as to cross the first and second threads with each other and position them astraddle the third thread.

United States Patent 1 Qzelusniak, Jr.

[451 Feb. 26, 1974 SELVAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR LOOMS [75] Inventor: Paul Anthony Czelusnialt, Jr", Eden,

[73] Assignee: Fieldcr'est Mills Inc., Eden, NC. [22] Filed: Apr. 28, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 248,625

[52] US. Cl. 139/54 [51] Int. Cl 003d 47/40 [58] Field of Search 139/54 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,561,496 2/1971 Guallo 139/54 3,463,199 8/1969 Crenshaw et al. 139/54 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS 1,814,269 8/1970 Germany 139/54 Attorney, Z' il, or F i'rm T arrott, Be fifseltier, Park & Gibson ABSTRACT First, second and third thread guides, with respective first, second and third selvage threads extending therethrough, are successively arranged rearwardly of the reed, and means are provided for oscillating the first and second thread guides about a substantially vertical axis in timed relation to substantially vertical reciprocation of the third thread guide rearwardly thereof so as to cross the first and second threads with each other and position them astraddle the third thread.

7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SELVAGE FORMING APPARATUS FOR LOOMS This invention relates to an improved apparatus for forming a braided type of selvage on a loom, especially a shuttleless carpet loom, for binding the wefts of the fabric being woven.

Various forms of devices have been proposed heretofore for forming a braided type of selvage on a loom, but they have been relatively complicated devices, and many of them have relied upon the harnesses of the loom for effecting their operation.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved selvage forming apparatus for forming a braided-type selvage on fabric being woven on a loom, which apparatus includes relatively few component parts of simple and economical construction, and which apparatus operates efficiently without relying upon a loom harness or harnesses for effecting operation thereof.

According to the invention, the apparatus comprises first, second and third thread guides successively arranged in that order rearwardly of the reed for guiding respective first, second and third threads therethrough and through the reed to the fell of the fabric being woven. Means are provided for reciprocating the third thread guide from a first open shed position to a second open shed position and back to the first open shed position following each weft insertion, and means are also provided for oscillating the first and second thread guides about an axis substantially parallel to the path of reciprocation of the third thread guide and in timed relation to each reciprocation of the third thread guide so as to cross the first and second threads relative to each other and position them astraddle the third thread between successive wefts of the fabric being woven.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated, other objects and advantages will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a schematic top plan view of the three thread guides of the novel selvage forming apparatus and showing the selvage threads extending therefrom to a portion of the fabric being woven and having the braided-type selvage thereon;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the selvage forming apparatus showing the rearmost or third thread guide in an upper open shed position in solid lines, and showing the same in a lower open shed position in dotted lines; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken substantially along line 3-3 in FIG. 2 showing a suitable cam for imparting oscillation to the first and second thread guides.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the inproved selvage forming apparatus is shown in association with a loom, which may be in the form of a pile weaving loom having the usual oscillating reed l and a weft inserting means or weft needle 11. Weft needle 11 inserts successive wefts 12 through a shed formed of upper and lower sheets of warps I3, 14. Following each weft insertion by weft needle 11, reed Ml moves forwardly and beats up the respective weft against the fell of the fabric F being woven, and the warp sheets l3, l4 reverse positions to effect a shed change. Reed then returns to the back-center position shown in FIG. 2, as is usual.

In its preferred embodiment, the improved selvage forming apparatus comprises first, second and third thread guides l5, l6, 17 which are successively arranged in that order; i.e. the first or front thread guide 15 is disposed closely adjacent and rearwardly of reed It), the second or intermediate thread guide 16 is disposed rearwardly of and adjacent the first thread guide 15 and the third or rearmost thread guide 17 is disposed rearwardly of and adjacent second thread guide 16.

Thread guides 15, 16, 117 preferably are in the form of elongate rods or needles having pointed free upper ends adjacent which thread guide eyes E50, 16a, 1170 are formed through the respective thread guides i5, 16, R7 for guiding respective selvage forming threads 21, 22, 23 therethrough from suitable respective supply sources. Thread guides 15, l6, 17 extend in substantially paralled relationship substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fabric F adjacent the fell. For the purpose of this disclosure the fabric F is shown extending in a horizontal plane, therefore, thread guides 15, l6, 17 are shown occupying substantially vertical or upright positions in FIG. 2. The selvage threads 21, 22, 23 extend forwardly from the eyes of the respective thread guides 15, 116, 17 through reed MI and to the fell of the fabric F being woven.

Means are provided for supporting and imparting relatively small angular oscillatory movements to first and second thread guides 15, 16 about a substantially vertical axis located about half way between first and second guides l5, l6 and means also is provided for imparting substantially vertical reciprocation to third thread guide 17 relative to first and second thread guides I5, 16 to form a shed therewith, as will be presently described. When third thread guide I"! occupies a lower open shed position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, the third selvage thread 23, which may be termed as a binder thread, extends from guide 17 to the fell of the fabric F below the path of travel of weft inserting means 11. The third thread guide 17 is substantially alined with the axis of oscillation of the first and second thread guides i5, 16 with respect to the direction in which the fabric F is being advanced or taken up. Thus, the third selvage thread 23 then extends between first and second thread guides l5, 16.

The guide eyes 15a, 16a in the upper ends of the respective first and second thread guides l5, 16 are positioned on a level adjacent that of the upper shed position of the warps 13, 14 so that weft inserting means 11 will pass beneath the first and second selvage threads 21, 22 during each weft insertion. Accordingly, when third guide 17 occupies its uppermost or upper open shed position, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, the thread guide eye 17a thereof is positioned above the level of both the first and second thread guides 35, 16 so that third thread 23 is positioned above the upper ends of first and second thread guides 15, i6 and the then raised third selvage thread 23 will not interfere with angular movement of first and second thread guides 15, 16 about their substantially vertical axis. It follows that guide 17 is longer than guides 15, M.

The angular movement of first and second thread guides 115, 16 is such that first thread guide 15 is moved inwardly and outwardly past second thread guide 16 and second thread guide 116 is moved outwardly and inwardly, respectively, past first thread guide 15 with respect to the longitudinal center of the loom. Therefore, first thread guide 15 is relatively shorter than second thread guide 16 or, at least, the upper end of first thread guide is disposed sufficiently below the level of the eye 16a of second thread guide 16 so that the second selvage thread 22 extends from the eye 16a of second thread guide 16 over the path of oscillation of the upper end of first thread guide 15 and to the fell of the fabric F. Thus, the second selvage thread 22 will not interfere with oscillation of first thread guide 15.

Common supporting means is provided for the first and second thread guides 15, 16 below the level of the warp shed. As shown, the common supporting means comprises a substantially vertically disposed shaft 25 having mounting means, in the form of a disc 25a, fixed on its upper end and to which the lower ends of first and second thread guides 15, 16 are suitably secured in substantially diametrically opposed relation to the axis of shaft 25. Preferably, first and second thread guides l5, 16 are substantially equally spaced from the axis of shaft 25. The reduced lower portion of shaft 25 is journaled in a suitable bracket 26 which may be vertically adjustably secured to the loom frame, not shown, by a suitable screw 27 penetrating a substantially vertically extending slot 260 in bracket 26.

Any suitable means may be provided for oscillating first and second thread guides 15, 16 in timed relation to operation of the loom. For illustrative purposes, such oscillating means is shown in the form of a drum-type rotary cam 30 driven by any suitable means, not shown, connected to the main shaft of the loom so as to rotate one-half a revolution during each pick of the loom. Cam 30 is provided with two diametrically opposed communicating peripheral grooves 30a, 30b which are axially offset relative to each other and are alternately engaged by a cam follower 32. Cam follower 32 is mounted on the outer portion of a crank 33 secured on the lower portion of shaft 25.

The first and second selvage threads 21, 22 may be termed as braiding threads and may be taken from suitable respective thread packages 21a, 2211. Threads 21, 22 may be guided through suitable guide members 25b, 26b on bracket 26 and through suitable grooves or openings in the enlarged upper portion of shaft 25, to the eyes of the respective first and second thread guides 15, 16, The third or straight" binder thread 23 preferably is larger and of relative lower twist than the first and second threads 21, 22, and the third selvage thread 23 may be taken from an individual package or may be taken from the usual warp beam, not shown.

Any suitable means may be provided for imparting substantially linear and substantially vertical reciprocation to third thread guide 17. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower portion of thread guide 17 is suitably secured in the upper end of a plunger 35 mounted for substantially vertical movement in bracket 26. The upper end of plunger 35 is disposed below the level of the adjacent portion of the warp shed throughout reciprocation of plunger 35. The lower portion of plunger 35 is shown on a reduced scale in FIG. 2 and has a follower 36 thereon which engages a rotary cam 37 suitably driven by the loom to rotate a single revolution during each pick of the loom.

In operation, assuming that the parts of the loom and the thread guides 15-17 occupy the solid-line positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the low surface of cam 37 moves into engagement with follower 36 as third thread guide 17 is moved downwardly to the lower open shed position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 2, thus moving third selvage thread 23 downwardly between first and second thread guides 15, 16 as a weft 12 (FIG. 1) is being inserted in the open shed of the warps 13, 14 by weft inserting means 11. Thus, the weft 12 is positioned over the third selvage thread 23 and under the first and second selvage threads 21, 22. Reed 10 then beats up the weft 12 against the fell of the fabric F and returns to the back-center position shown in FIG. 2 as a shed change of the warps 13, 14 occurs.

While reed 10 is in the rear portion of its range of movement, the high surface of cam 37 moves into engagement with follower 36, thus quickly raising third thread guide 17 to the upper open shed position shown in solid lines in FIG. 2, with the third thread 23 then extending above the level of the upper ends of thread guides 15, 16. While third thread guide 17 occupies the 1 latter position, groove 30a of drum-type cam 30 moves into engagement with follower 32 to impart a relatively small amount of angular movement to shaft 25, say, about 10, to also move first and second thread guides 15, 16 therewith to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 1, wherein the first thread guide 15 is positioned inwardly of the vertical plane of the third thread 23 and the second thread guide 16 is positioned outwardly of the third thread 23. Immediately thereafter, the low surface of cam 37 again moves into engagement with follower 36 and third thread guide 17 is again returned to the lower open shed position to move the third thread 23 downwardly between the first and second thread guides 15, 16. Since the free upper ends of first and second thread guides 15, 16 are substantially pointed, it can be appreciated that such pointed ends facilitate positioning the third thread 23 between the first and second thread guides 15, 16 and their threads 21, 22 during reciprocation of third thread guide 17 so that only a relatively small amount of angular movement of thread guides 15, 16 is required about their axis of oscillation.

A cycle in the operation of the selvage forming apparatus is then repeated in substantially the same manner as last described with the exception that, when third thread guide 17 again returns to the upper open shed position, the groove 30b in drum-type cam 30 moves into engagement with follower 32 to shift the first and second thread guides 15, 16 in the opposite direction from that in which they were shifted previously, thus returning thread guides 15, 16 to the solid-line position shown in FIG. 1.

It is apparent that each time thread guide 17 is raised to the upper open shed position, the shifting of the first and second thread guides 15, 16 crosses the first and second selvage threads 21, 22 below and astraddle the third selvage thread 23. Also, since the third selvage thread 23 always occupies a lower open shed position and the first and second selvage threads 21, 22 always occupy an upper open shed position during each successive weft insertion, it follows that the braided selvage S is formed as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1, it will be observed that the third or binder selvage thread 23 extends beneath the successive wefts 12, and the first and second selvage or braiding threads 21, 22 are looped over successive wefts 12, but straddle thread 23 and cross each other underneath binder thread 23 between successive wefts 12.

It is thus seen that I have provided a simple and efficient apparatus for forming a braided selvage for binding the wefts 12 along the corresponding longitudinal edge of the fabric being woven on a loom, and which selvage forming apparatus does not rely upon the shed forming means or harnesses for effecting movement thereto.

In the drawing and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, theyare used in a generic and descriptive sense only.

That which is claimed is:

l. Selvage forming apparatus for a loom having a reed and weft inserting means; said apparatus comprising first, second and third thread guides successively arranged rearwardly of the reed and having guide eyes therethrough for guiding respective first, second and third threads therethrough and through the reed to the fell of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocating said third thread guide in a path substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fabric immediately adjacent the fell and relative to said first and second thread guides to form a shed therewith, and means for oscillating said first and second thread guides about an axis extending substantially parallel to the reciprocatory path of said third thread guide and in timed relation to reciprocation of said third thread guide so as to cross the first and second threads with each other and position them astraddle said third thread.

2. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thread guides are in the form of respective elongate substantially parallel rods having their eyes disposed adjacent corresponding free ends thereof, and wherein said first and third thread guides are shorter and longer, respectively, than said second thread guide positioned therebetween.

3. A selvage formingapparatus according to claim ll, wherein said thread guides are in the form of respective elongate substantially parallel rods having their eyes disposed adjacent corresponding free ends thereof, and common means supporting said first and second thread guides on the loom for oscillation about said axis and to which the ends of said first and second thread guides remote from said free ends are secured.

4. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said common supporting means comprises a shaft extending substantially parallel with said thread guides and joumaled on the loom for oscillation about said axis, and means mounting said ends of said frist and second thread guides remote from said free ends on one end of said shaft and in substantially diametrically opposed relationship with respect to said axis.

5. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said rods of said first and second guides has a substantially pointed free end to facilitate positioning the third thread between the first and second guides during reciprocation of said third guide.

6. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range of oscillation of said first and second guides about said axis is no more than about ten degrees.

7. Selvage forming apparatus for a loom having a reed, and weft inserting means; said apparatus comprising first, second and third vertically arranged thread guides successively arranged rearwardly of the reed for guiding respective first, second and third threads therethrough and through the reed to the fell of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocating said third guide from a lower open shed position with the third thread extending therefrom between said first and second guides to an upper open shed position with the third thread extending therefrom above said first and second guides, and then back to said lower open shed position following each weft insertion, and means for oscillating said first and second guides about a substantially vertical axis in timed relation to upward movements of said third guide so as to cross the first and second threads beneath the third thread between successive wefts of the fabric being woven. 

1. Selvage forming apparatus for a loom having a reed and weft inserting means; said apparatus comprising first, second and third thread guides successively arranged rearwardly of the reed and having guide eyes therethrough for guiding respective first, second and third threads therethrough and through the reed to the fell of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocating said third thread guide in a path substantially perpendicular to the plane of the fabric immediately adjacent the fell and relative to said first and second thread guides to form a shed therewith, and means for oscillating said first and second thread guides about an axis extending substantially parallel to the reciprocatory path of sAid third thread guide and in timed relation to reciprocation of said third thread guide so as to cross the first and second threads with each other and position them astraddle said third thread.
 2. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thread guides are in the form of respective elongate substantially parallel rods having their eyes disposed adjacent corresponding free ends thereof, and wherein said first and third thread guides are shorter and longer, respectively, than said second thread guide positioned therebetween.
 3. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said thread guides are in the form of respective elongate substantially parallel rods having their eyes disposed adjacent corresponding free ends thereof, and common means supporting said first and second thread guides on the loom for oscillation about said axis and to which the ends of said first and second thread guides remote from said free ends are secured.
 4. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said common supporting means comprises a shaft extending substantially parallel with said thread guides and journaled on the loom for oscillation about said axis, and means mounting said ends of said frist and second thread guides remote from said free ends on one end of said shaft and in substantially diametrically opposed relationship with respect to said axis.
 5. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of said rods of said first and second guides has a substantially pointed free end to facilitate positioning the third thread between the first and second guides during reciprocation of said third guide.
 6. A selvage forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the range of oscillation of said first and second guides about said axis is no more than about ten degrees.
 7. Selvage forming apparatus for a loom having a reed, and weft inserting means; said apparatus comprising first, second and third vertically arranged thread guides successively arranged rearwardly of the reed for guiding respective first, second and third threads therethrough and through the reed to the fell of the fabric being woven, means for reciprocating said third guide from a lower open shed position with the third thread extending therefrom between said first and second guides to an upper open shed position with the third thread extending therefrom above said first and second guides, and then back to said lower open shed position following each weft insertion, and means for oscillating said first and second guides about a substantially vertical axis in timed relation to upward movements of said third guide so as to cross the first and second threads beneath the third thread between successive wefts of the fabric being woven. 